The recent fire in Mirpur, which claimed at least 16 lives, has once again exposed the grim reality of Bangladesh’s industrial sector. Workers continue to die, yet accountability remains elusive, said a top official of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) today.

“The recurring tragedies from Tongi and Chattogram to Narayanganj and Mirpur reflect a deep-rooted culture of impunity that allows safety negligence to go unpunished,” said Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, executive director of BILS.

He made the remarks at a press briefing on labour safety at the National Press Club in Dhaka, jointly organised by BILS and the Safety and Rights Society.

“After every accident, we see the same pattern: a probe committee is formed, reports are never made public, and no one takes responsibility,” said Ahmmed, who also headed the labour reform commission that submitted its report early this year.

“This lack of transparency and justice is the main reason such disasters keep recurring.”

Bangladesh’s labour and safety laws are not weak, but their enforcement is.

“Our laws are well-drafted, but implementation remains selective and inconsistent. When negligence leads to deaths, there is hardly any real punishment. Even compensation, which is a legal right, often does not reach victims’ families,” he added.

Ahmmed also stressed that both employers and policymakers must share responsibility for ensuring workplace safety.

“We do not want industries to shut down; we want them to operate safely. The owner’s property should be protected, but so should the worker’s life,” he said.